I’m a Scottish Gamer. I love Scotland and I love games. We are a creative country, we care lots about people and we love adventure. From open world games, to our journeys with pokemon, to cosplay, to role play and art…we love to express ourselves in amazing ways!

Scotland has always been an incredibly creative nation and you can see that in the artwork in this months community spotlight. This month’s community spotlight isR-Cade,a gaming cafe in Glasgow that opened in January. They describe themselves as such:

“We are a very small, independent family business who live and breathe R-CADE. We don’t just have a passion for gaming, we are also involved in the arts and crafts community. We hold craft workshops, art gallery exhibitions and constantly strive to promote and support local artists.” R-CADE highlight that they love Retro Gaming and Asian food and they wanted to…

Over 2000 Dumbarton fans travelled up to Perth to see the Challenge Cup final. Meeting us there, would be an Inverness side, hoping to repeat the scenes from their Challenge Cup win in 2004 and their Scottish Cup win in 2015.

For Dumbarton, this was bigger than a diddy cup final, it was our first final in over 100 years. Our last cup final has skipped at least one generation. This was for them.

From our league positions this was anyone’s game. As Dumbarton fans waited patiently to find out if Liam Burt or Dimitris Froxylias would make it back from their internationally call ups in time, tension began to build.

Word spread slowly. Both had landed safely, it would be a race against time. Meanwhile, the fans began to sing, drink pints and share stories. Many reflecting…

Oh when the Sons’ go up, and lift the challenge cup, we’ll be there…we’ll be there.

I grew up in a small town, some of my favourite memories as a child are: heading down to Dumbarton Football Club with my dad to watch Dumbarton play in the rain, hail and wind at our local stadium. Rangers and Celtic meant nothing to me, I was a Sons fan and if anyone dared insult them, I did not hold back. They taught me how to persevere, cheer in the cold and how to back a team through the good and the bad.

Dumbarton FC gave me a lot of memories. My first job was a Ball Girl, the second in Dumbarton’s history. It gave me so much joy to run out before the team, hear the fans sing we will rock you and the bovril at half time was a bonus too! I remember going to football training camps and being a mascot for my tenth birthday whilst all the other girls has princess parties, I dragged my friends to a match. I cheered and I got my picture taken with Iain Russell. He’s now done a full 360 and is back at the club and I couldn’t be happier!

Football was my father-daughter time. From learning the offside rule to shouting at the linesman. I remember the year we won the league and I got to experience a pitch invasion with my dad, whilst my mum looked on with fear! We mourned the loss of our captain when he died and we celebrated the community spirit about the club. “We’re the best part-time team in Scotland” We celebrate not being relegated like we’ve won the league. We are bold, proud, Scottish football fans. And oh my, do we love our wee team.

So, when we got into the Scottish Cup Semi-Final in Wales, it really was a no brainer. Yes, it would be on TV, but that didn’t matter, we had to be there. We set off on the journey, with fire in our hearts, knowing that if there was a defeat it would be ok. We were witnessing Dumbarton’s first semi-final in my life time. The drums were beating, we were shouting, we would have loved to see our club in our first final in over 100 years. That idea seemed almost comical, we didn’t manage a cup final in my dad’s lifetime, I didn’t ever expect it to happen during mine.

So we went to Wales, my dad’s Dumbarton scarf around my neck, and the first one he bought me on my arm. I remembered the days where he saved me from being hit by a ball as I’d broken my arm. The games that I talked the whole way through the 90 mins. On that journey to Wales, I held those memories close, I cherished the times we went to support oor wee team. As that’s what it was. Oors.

And in Wales, we won it. From the banter with the Welsh stewards, moving seats at half time to support the team behind the goal. They scored. Then we scored. And with a beautiful goal, we clinched the semi-final. There were tears of joy, admiration, shouts and jubillee. All because we made the final. The final of a “diddy cup”. But it’s our final!

So, when we head to Perth on Saturday, we will go expectantly. For oor team to play for their badges. For oor team to compete in our first cup final in 100 years. For me, I get to take my dads scarf with me, the memories and the chance to celebrate The Sons of the Rock. So as the town queue’s for masks of Stevie Aiken’s face, personalised Irn Bru bottles and tickets for the game, I know one thing.

That when the Sons go up, to try and lift the challenge cup, I’ll be there, I’ll be there.

Recently I’ve became more and more aware that I need to learn how to be still. If you spoke to my friends or family they’d tell you a few things…I’m an extrovert, an outward processor and I flourish when I’m doing things that I love. That can be as simple as watching Ice Hockey, making music, playing games, going walks and being creative! Yet I often struggle to stop and be still.

This week, Scotland has been hit by some snow. I’ve been confined to the house for nearly a week, at the beginning it was out of choice, then I caught a bug. I discovered, I’m pretty restless when I can’t go outside. Some may even say I began to get the dreaded Cabin Fever.

I think Stillness is a skill. An art I’ve yet to master, but with this blog, I want to begin to share my own journey of being still.

The bible talks about the word “Selah”… which has been explained as the act of pausing, thinking and reflecting on what’s going on and praising God. So during the recent snow storm, my snow revelations were:

Family time is a blessing.

This week I’ve laughed, played video games, baked shortbread and made a snowman out of grapefruit, oranges, peanut butter and toilet roll. I’ve seen my limitations and celebrated anyway.

Nature is beautiful.

From looking at the beauty of the snow in the back garden, to watching the robins eat the bird seed next to the window. Everything I could see was a beautiful expression of Gods perfect creation. How incredibly blessed am I to take it in! Yes, the beauty wasn’t always practical, but it certainly took my breath away. From the small robins to the big ones, the red breasts to the different sizes snow flakes. If I hadn’t stopped to look, I would have missed it. I would have missed the fine detail that drew me in and allowed me to stop.

Penguins are cool.

Yes, I know the domain is “penguin scroller”. One day, that will be a blog in of itself. But that can be explained later. For now, it’s important for you to know that yes, I do indeed love penguins. They make me laugh, I’m short like them, and occasionally they fall over looking more graceful than I could ever dream of being! Yet, I don’t appreciate them nearly enough. So this week, I took time to chill, and watch the Penguin Cam in Edinburgh Zoo. I watched as they played in the snow, jumped to catch the snow, diving and turning through water, swimming around on their own and in packs. The penguins truly embraced the meaning of Selah. They looked, they celebrated and their movements certainly made me look and praise God.

So what…

So this week, I want to be more like a penguin.

“All the earth bows down to you; they sing praise to you, they sing the praises of your name. Selah!” Psalm 66:4. As the snow fades, I want to celebrate life the way that the penguins do, on their own, in groups and with joy! So, until the snow passes, make sure you take the NHS advice, and walk like a penguin.